Cotton separator



Dec. 4, 192a 1,693,754

N. B. HENRY COTTON SEPARATOR Filed Sept. 27, 1927 3 Sheets-She et l A mmma Dec. 4, 192a. 1,693,754

- N. B. HENRY COTTON SEPARATOR Filed Sept. 27, 1927 3 Shoets-Sheet 2Dec. 4, 1928.

N. B. HENRY CO TTON SEPARATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed $6131 27, 1927 1 6 vI I mum [7 1 III/III II fir ram/4 5.

Patented Dec. 4, 1928.

UNITED. STATES NELSON B. HENRY, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

common sErA nAwoB.

Application filed September 27, 1927. Serial No. 222,363.

surfaces, leaving the cotton in. the chambers It is to the paddle wheeltype of separator m that my invention belongs and itconsists inprovidlng the inner easing which closely surrounds the paddle wheel, incontact with the ends of the rotating paddles, with a by-pass passage orduct, through which air and cotton may continuously move without regardto the position or movement of the paddles. Another f ature of inventionis the arrangement of screens in such a fashion that resilient wipersarranged upon the edges of :45 the paddles will continuously sweep thescreens, removing any adhering cotton and keeping the screens atalltimes tree and c ea of cotton; another feature of invention i a systemof valvcsby which the motion of the air current maybe controlled tocause it to deposit cotton evenly throughout the length of the addlewheel, in the several chambers thereot In the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a longitudinal, central section of my improved separator;

I Figure 2 is an end View, in perspective, one end of the casing beingremoved to show the interior parts; 1 i

Figure 3 is a rear View; Figure 4 is a front view Figure 5 is. avertical central section of my machine, showing a modified form of theinp vention';

on line 66 of Figure 5; and

Figure 7 .is acentlal vertical section ofmy Inachine showing anothermodification. I

Referring tothe drawings, Figures 1, 2, 3

V aud t, the air tight outer casing 1, of themachine may be of any shapedesired. l/Vit-hin the casing 1 is inner casing and certain partitionsfor guidin 'the air currents. The innercasing is made up of two curvedun perforate metal sheets, 2, 2 2, and two curved V Figure 6 is avertical central cross section:

foraminous sections 21, 21? extending upward from sheet 2, at the endsthereof. Between the inner edges of sheets 21, 21 is located a trough orduct, 3, curving from the inlet opening, 11., to the upper edge of sheet2, from which spring the perforated sheets 21, 21 Between thenpper edgesof sheets 21., 21?, and the upper side of inlet 11, are curvedinlet'guide sheets, l3, 13, the dust 3 lying between the opposed inneredges 0f th iorarninous sheets 21, 21 and the opposed inner edges of theguide sheets 13, 13?. De. pending from the lower side of sector 22 is aguide sheet 1%, defining one side f h outlet opening 12, thefother'sidebeing formed by a support member 15. It willnow be seen that within theouter casing isforrned a cyindrical inner casing, interrupted l ng twdinally by an inlet openiug'll and an outletopening 12, and transverselyby aduct 3,

Within the inner casing is mou ted i bearings 42 upon the frame of theachine, a paddle wheel valve, 4, the edges of the several paddles 4being provided with sealing strips 11 of rubberizedjbelting or the ike,

as is usual, the strips making continuous contact with the innersurfaces of the sectors 2, 2,2, 21 and 21 the'sectors2 and 22 being ofsuch a-designed size that a strip 41 is always in contact with thesectors 2 and 22 to prevent the ingress oiair through outlet 12.

At the back ofthe outer casing an air tight "box 5' is preferablysecured, from which a pipe 6 leads to a suction fun, not shown, the boxbeing connected by openings, 51, to the interior of the outer casing, 1,valves 52 being also provided to varyat will, eitheror both of theopenings 51 from wide open to closed,

as may be deemed expedient by the operator.

'At the front of'the outer casing, pipe 61, from a source of cottonsupply, is connected to the inlet 11. y i i The actuation of the paddlewheel may be accomplished in any way desired. I have shown a countershaft 7 mounted upon bearings 71 upon the 'i'ra'me oi the machine,driven, from a source of power, by a pulley 72, and-transmitting by asprocket gear 73 and chain 74 ton sprocket 43 upon the shaft 441 of thepaddle wheel. i

Operation: The suction fan being put in operation an air current isinduced inpipe 6, box 5, casing 1 and pipe 61., the Cotton and airentering at inlet 11, the cotton b sing deposited in the chambers of therev lvmnfpad dlc Wheel valve and the air passing through the foraminousscreens 21, 21' to box-5, pipe 6 and the fan, air being prevented fromenter ingat the outlet opening 12, by the constant contact of at leasttwo of the sealingstrips 41 on the edges of the paddles with theiniperforate sectors 2 and 22. In most prior paddle wheel separators,each time that a paddie in its movement across the inlet opening reachedthe enclosing perforated screen surface, the air current wasn'iomentarily coinpletely cut off and had to be reestablished as thepaddle moved onto the perforated screen surface, giving at first only alimited opening for the passage of air. In some cases this cut-offeffect has been sought to be overcome by providing a perforated guidesheet at the point marked 13, 13 in the drawings, but this was apractical failure owing to the perforations rapidly filling with cottonso that no air could pass this way. In my machine the entering cottonand air stream passes first into the paddle wheel chamber immediatelyopposite theinlet opening and a considerable part of the cotton isdeposited in this chamber, and as this chamber is movedon, the aircottoncurrentstill has access. to it, through the duct 3, the air-cottoncurrent dividing and passing toward the ends of the chamber, the airpassing through the perforated sectors in the shortest path to the exitopenings 51, leaving the cotton in the chambers. The air currentcontinues to passinto all chambers between the inlet opening and the endof the be well controlled by means of the valves 52 which can be soadjusted that the air will divide and pass in any desired fashionthrough the perforated sectors. The perforated sectors are at all timeskept clear and open by the wipingaction of the strips 41 on v the edgesof the paddles which serve not only as a seal to prevent ingress of airthrough outthe wiping action of the paddles upon the perlet 12 but alsoas a clearing brush for the perforated. screen surfaces. y

lhe combination in use of these forces results in a continuous aircurrent, which is, by its continuity, of maximum cotton moving capacity;the air outletopenings in the outer case, out of line with the air duct,give capacity for evenly distributing the load throughout thelength ofeach chamber and thus filling each chamber to capacity, while foratedsurfaces keeps a clear air passage at all times so that the cotton maybe 'moved without obstruction of the air current.

In Figures 5 and 6 I illustrate a modified form of my machine, in whichthe icy-pass for the continuous passage of the cotton air perfor'atesectors, t

concentric with a paddle wheel valve, and

current is provided for by openings 4 in the several paddles 4*. In thisform the duct 3 is dispensed with, its function as a bypass beingperformed by the openings 4 upon the edges of which openings are fittedsealing strips 41. On the sectors 2, 22, are erectec troughs-or boxes 2and 22 closed-at one or both ends which troughs or boxes close theopenings 4 in the several paddles 4" as the paddles severally pass ontothe imperforate sectors 21, 21*, the sealing strips 41 on the edges ofthe openings 4 contacting withthe troughs or boxes 2, 22. H

In Figure 7 I show a modification in which, instead of one central duct3, I employ two ducts, 3', one at each end of the machine with V ascreen surface 21" between the ducts.

I claim: 7 v 1. A cotton separator, comprisingfln combination, an outercasing,having an air-cotton inlet opening, and an air outlet opening anda cotton outlet opening; means to create a C01]: tinuous'suction aircurrent through the easing; an inner casin having perforate and imheperforate sectors being having an air-cotton inlet opening and a cottonoutlet opening; that paddle wheel valve,

within the inner casing, the sealing strips of the paddles sweeping theperforate sectors, 1

a bypass for the air-cotton current leading by several of the paddles;means to actuate the paddle wheel valve positively. I

2. A cotton separator, comprising, in combination, an outer casing,having an air-cot i toninlet opening, and an air outlet opening and acotton outlet opening; means to create I a continuous suction aircurrent through the casing; an inner casing having perforate andimperforatesectors the perforate sectors being concentric with a'paddlewheel valve, and an air-cotton inlet opening and a cotton outletopening; that paddle wheel valve, within the inner casing, the sealingstrips of the paddles sweepingthe perforate sectors; a

uct forming a section of the inner casing 1 wall, providing a by-passfor the air-cotton current leading by several of the addles; means toactuate the paddle wheel va ve'positively. I

ing and an air outlet opening and a cotton outlet opening; means tocreate a suctionair current through the "casing, comprising a vacuum boxsecured at the outlet side of the outer casingand' connected byapertures adjustably valved, to the interior of the outer casing, at theends thereof, and connected also'to the airinlet side of a suction fan;an inner casing havmg perforate and llTIPGIfO- rate sectors, theperforate sector's being concentric with a paddle wheel valve, andhaving v v, V, v 3. In a cotton separator, in combination, an outercas1ng,hav1ng an alr-cotton inlet open-.

in the inner casing, the sealing strips of the paddles sweeping theperforate sectors; means to actuate the paddle wheel valve positively.

4. In a cotton separator, in combination,

tors; the perforate sectors being concentric with a paddle Wheel valve,and having an aircotton inlet opening and a cotton outlet opening; thatpaddle wheel valve, within the inner casing, having sealing strips uponthe edges of its paddles sweeping the perforate sectors;

means to actuate the paddle wheel valve positively.

S'igned at Atlanta, Georgia, this twenty fourth day of September, 1927.p I

NELSON B. HENRY.

